Sin, as a label for our natural state before God, signifies rebellion, defilement, condemnation, and slavery.

• Rebellion: all persons resent, defy, evade, belittle, ignore, and disobey God in way or another, every day of our lives.
• Defilement: all persons are unclean — dirty, to say it straight out — in God’s sight; we are offensive and unacceptable to Him, and unfit for His fellowship.
• Condemnation: in the presence of God our Judge all persons are guilty rebels who can now only await the moment when God makes us feel His displeasure.
• Slavery: all persons are under bondage or addiction, meaning we are naturally under sin’s power; we do not have it in us to love God and our neighbor wholeheartedly and without qualification.

What’s the remedy then? God, in His Word summons us to repent of our sin and place our complete faith in the Risen Christ.